1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stirring coffee press for use in connection with manually or electrically operated portable coffee brewing presses. The stirring coffee press has particular utility in connection with the agitating and compressing of coffee grounds in a coffee press.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There have been coffee presses used for the brewing of coffee and tea in the beverage industry, such as French Coffee Presses. These coffee presses all function in similar fashion, wherein ground coffee, tea, or the like is placed in the bottom of a container, usually made of plastic or glass. Hot water is then added into the container so as to combine with the ground coffee. A plunger is then inserted into the container from an opening located at the top of the container, and pushed in a downwardly direction just far enough to submerge the grounds allowing for a curing process. A predetermined amount of time is needed for the curing process, and after this time the plunger is pushed further down forcing the grounds to the bottom of the container. There are some beliefs that the time of the curing process corresponds directly with the strength of the brewed beverage, while a second belief is that the flavor is enhanced by squeezing the grounds at the bottom of the container.
A major disadvantage with these coffee presses is that when the plunger is being pushed down during the curing process the grounds can form a plug which makes it difficult to push the plunger to the bottom. The plug prevents the fluid from passing through the plunger. Furthermore, another disadvantage with the use of these coffee presses is that after the plunger has been pushed to the bottom of the container, a vacuum may be formed between the plunger and the bottom of the container. The vacuum makes it very difficult to remove the plunger from the container.
One solution in which coffee press users have used to separate the grounds or enhance the flavor of the coffee is to stir the grounds while in the container. The user usually uses a stirring utensil. This practice is dangerous in that when using glass containers the boiling water in the container makes the glass very brittle and therefore susceptible to breaking when the utensil impacts the sidewall of the glass container.
Stirring coffee presses are desirable for safely and effectively brewing coffee in a container while agitating the grounds and enhancing the flavor of the beverage.
The use of coffee presses is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,968 to Portman discloses an improved brewing pot having a cylindrical container, a lid and a rotatable overlay member connected to a hollow shaft extending up through the lid. Furthermore, the improved brewing pot contains an adjustable handle attachable to the hollow shaft, a screen attached to a central shaft and insertable through and exist out from the hollow shaft and adjustable handle, and a fixed cap that is attached to the top of the central shaft. The Portman '968 patent does not disclose a propeller assembly located below a plunger, wherein the propeller assembly is rotated by a solid shaft that passes through a hollow shaft. Furthermore, the Portman '968 patent makes no provisions for the use of a multiple level screen and plunger assembly attached to a hollow shaft, or a recess in the lid which retains the plunger handle and prevents the handle from rotating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,566 to Bersten discloses a two stage coffee plunger having a cylindrical container, a lid, a plunger assembly featuring a plunger shaft extending upwardly from the lid, and a baffle including a second shaft extending through and exiting out from the plunger shaft. However, the Bersten '566 patent does not disclose a recess in the lid which retains a plunger handle and prevents the handle from rotating. Furthermore, the Bersten '566 patent does not teach the use of a stirring blade assembly.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,422,133 to Brady discloses a French coffee press having a cylindrical container, a lid featuring a recess, a screen and buffer assembly connected to a shaft, and a knob attached to the top of the shaft and retained in the recess of the lid. However, the Brady '133 patent does not disclose an upper baffle element located between the screen and buffer, and additionally does not teach the use of a stirring blade assembly
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,324,966 to Joergensen discloses a piston-type coffee maker having a cylindrical container, a lid featuring a recess, a screen attached to a piston, a piston rod connected to the piston, and a pressure handle attached to the piston rod and retaining in the recess of the lid. However, the Joergensen '966 patent makes no provisions for the use of a dual shaft system, a stirring blade assembly, or a multiple level screen and plunger system.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,608 to Doyel discloses a beverage making device having a tubular container, a lid, and a moveable piston including a handle.
Additionally, further examples of known coffee press systems are found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,240,833 to Shame et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,307,474 to Kasher; U.S. Pat. No. 2,562,433 to Moore; United States Design Pat. No. Des. 441,248 to Brady; and International Publication Number WO 02/067739 to Munkager et al. While each of these systems may provide for the brewing of pressed beverages, they do not teach the use a multiple level screen and plunger assembly attached to a hollow shaft, and a stirring blade assembly attached to a shaft extending through the hollow shaft.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a stirring coffee press that allows the agitating and compressing of coffee grounds in a coffee press, through the use of a multiple level screen and plunger assembly attached to a hollow shaft, and a stirring blade assembly attached to a shaft extending through the hollow shaft.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved stirring coffee press that can be used for the agitating and compressing of coffee grounds in a coffee press. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the stirring coffee press according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of the agitating and compressing of coffee grounds in a coffee press.